Meet Our Faculty!
Dr.Kate Nichols
Dr.Kate Nichols serves as the current Adjunct Flute Professor at Rollins College in Winter Park. She completed her Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the University of Arizona in summer 2018 after presenting a lecture recital and document on her doctoral research, entitled "Leonard Bernstein's Halil: Serialism, Eclecticism, and Antagonism in the American Flute Concerto"—this research was chosen as one of the two winners of the 2019 National Flute Association PhD/DMA Graduate Research Competition. In spring 2017, while completing her academic courses, Kate served as a visiting assistant professor, acting as sabbatical replacement for Brian Luce at the University of Arizona Fred Fox School of Music. In this position, her primary responsibilities included performing as a member of the Arizona Wind Quintet, the resident faculty ensemble; teaching applied undergraduate lessons; conducting weekly flute studio masterclasses and technique sessions; and instructing the undergraduate woodwind methods class. In addition, while working in the university’s recording studio with the resident flute ensemble, Flutefinity, she utilized her skills in arranging, recording, and producing musical projects.
As a performer, Kate has held the principal flute position for the Sierra Vista Symphony Orchestra, a regional orchestra near Tucson, AZ, and performed in competitions. She was a quarter finalist in the National Flute Association’s Young Artist Competition, a first prize winner in the Mid-South Flute Society’s Young Artist Competition, third prize winner in the South Carolina Flute Society Young Artist Competition, a semi-finalist in the Myrna Brown Competition for the Texas Flute Society, and third prize winner in the Florida Flute Association’s College Young Artist Competition. She has also performed in many masterclasses with prominent flutists and in summer festivals, such as the Round Top Festival Institute and the British Isles Music Festival.
Devin Bieber
Mr. Bieber is a bassoonist, educator, business owner, and inventor here in Central Florida. He is also the founding director of the OYCE Double Reed Ensemble. As an educator, he has always strived to get as many students involved in middle school band as possible, and currently teaches the largest band program in Osceola County. Moreover, his private bassoon students have continued to earn positions in Florida’s FMEA/FBA All-State ensembles throughout the years - oftentimes achieving first and second chairs respectively.
One of Mr. Bieber’s biggest passions is the art of reed-making. It was this sentiment that led him to invent dozens of unique double reed products that are currently being used by students, educators, enthusiasts, and top orchestral musicians across the globe today.
It is his belief that oboists and bassoonists should be taught reed-making prior to high school and college, and often introduces the techniques to students at an early age. This has resulted in dozens of proficient reed-makers that have gone on to achieve success and respect within the double reed community.
Charles Hafner
Charles Hafner is currently the Band Director at Southwest Middle School in Orlando, Florida. Mr. Hafner received his B.A. degree in Music from Rollins College and studied clarinet under Patrick Graham and Erik Cole. At his previous school, Mr. Hafner has led the instrumental music program at his school to 250 students, which is close to a third of the total student population. He also taught marching band at Edgewater High School. He has had many experiences playing clarinet with various ensembles, orchestras, and musical productions, including the Bach Festival Society of Winter Park Orchestra. A product of OCPS schools, he is proud to serve the community and provide musical opportunities for all students in the community.
Kenya Earles
Alex started playing music in 6th grade where she picked up the clarinet. In 8th grade, she learned to play alto saxophone to perform in the school's jazz band. Her love of music lead her to get her bachelor's degree in Jazz Studies (tenor saxophone performance) at the University of Central Florida. She performs at all of the area theme parks and became a statused Disney musician in 2014. In 2021, she founded Music Ninja Productions LLC, an entertainment company that puts together bands for special events. She is also the full time tenor saxophonist and vocalist for "The Bebop Bounty Big Band", a national touring 14 piece jazz band that performs a show called Cowboy Bebop Live! Her other freelance gigs includes playing in wedding/convention bands, special events, and she also plays solo/duo gigs at the area resorts and restaurants.
Ignacio Poncio
Ignacio Poncio is a professional horn player who graduated from University of Central Florida in 2022 with a degree in Music Education. Mr. Poncio Currently teaches at Meadow Woods Middle School, where he is the director of bands and orchestra. He enjoys playing horn and trumpet in his free time and has performed with groups like the Orlando Concert Band, The Space Coast Symphony, the Vero Beach Symphony Orchestra, and the Treasure Coast Wind Ensemble.
Juwan Murphy
Juwan Murphy is currently the music teacher at Riverside elementary. There he serves as the facilitator of growing musicians K-5 and works to lead the theater club and school music club consisting of a variety of ensembles. In addition, he is a technician of several marching bands in the Orlando area and plays professionally with a few groups including a salsa band and Trombone with The Brass Band of Central Florida.
A graduate from the University of Central Florida he received both a bachelor’s degree in music education, and a bachelor’s in music performance with a focus on classical trombone. While in college he has participated in many different instrumental ensembles including the symphony orchestra, wind ensemble, and the University jazz band, group reaching the top of the jazz charts. He also participated in the UCF Marching Knights in which he served as a leader and went on to march Carolina Crown for two years.
Juwan enjoys playing at different gigs around Central Florida antd teaching trombone lessons. He is very excited to be working with OYCE again this season.
Leo Lamos
A product of Orange County Public Schools, earned his bachelor’s in music
education from the University of Central Florida. He is pursuing a master’s degree in music education from Florida State University. With a teaching career spanning over twenty years, Mr. Lamos has taught both middle and high school students and currently serves as the Director of Bands at Cypress Creek High School in Orlando, Florida.
Under his leadership, the band has consistently achieved superior ratings at district and state performance assessments. His commitment to building a strong sense of community and providing students with once-in-a-lifetime experiences in music education is at the heart of his work.
The Florida Bandmasters Association has recognized the band with several prestigious awards for excellence such as the Otto J. Kraushaar and Lewis Jones awards. The band has performed at notable events most recently at the UCF Wind Band Invitational and the Orlando Regional Music for All Festival at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. The marching band has made multiple appearances at State Championship finals and has been a frequent finalist at the Bands of America Regional competition in Orlando.
In recognition of his outstanding service to the community, Mr. Lamos was entered into the congressional record for the Library of Congress and was awarded a certificate of special congressional recognition by Congressman Alan Grayson.
Mr. Lamos is affiliated with several professional organizations, including Phi Mu Alpha, the Florida Bandmasters Association, the Florida Music Education Association, the
Multicultural Network, and the National Association for Music Education. He also serves as chairman of the board of the Orlando Youth Chamber Ensemble.
Daniel Cortes
Daniel Cortes is the founder, executive director, and conductor of Symphonic Underground (2018-Present), an organization dedicated to providing audiences with an accessible gateway to the classical world by programming music from video games and movies. He has been playing the viola for almost 25 years (B.M. Stetson University 2008 in the studio of Jesus Alfonzo, M.M. Western Michigan University 2012 as Igor Fedotov’s graduate assistant) and is trained in a variety of styles both inside and outside of the traditional classical curriculum. He served as principal violist throughout the entirety of his collegiate studies and continues to be actively involved with orchestras and chamber ensembles in the surprisingly robust Floridian arts scene.
Since beginning his freelancing career in 2004, he has performed with dozens of organizations around the nation such as Florida Orchestra, Orlando Opera, Orlando Contemporary Chamber Orchestra, Opera del Sol, Alterity Chamber Orchestra, Brevard Symphony, Florida Lakes Symphony, Villages Philharmonic, Space Coast Symphony, Punta Gorda Symphony, Florida Rock Orchestra, Kalamazoo Symphony, Arcus Chamber Orchestra,Southwest Michigan Symphony, West Michigan Symphony, Battle Creek Symphony, Dearborn Symphony, Traverse City Symphony, and several others.
Noteworthy engagements include (but are not limited to) appearances with Mannheim Steamroller, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Weird Al, The Eagles, The Who, The Beach Boys, Electric Light Orchestra, Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith, Kristin Chenoweth, Arnie Roth, Paquito d’Rivera, Johnny Mathis, Nelly, Journey’s Jonathan Cain, Video Games Live, George Benson, Little River Band, Cirque Musica, BT, Bernadette Peters, Styx, Game of Thrones Live, Pokémon Symphonic Evolution, Michael Bolton, Alan Parsons Project, Frankie Valli, Irish Tenors, Clay Aiken, Jackie Evancho, Rocktopia, and Roy Orbison’s 3D hologram.
He was privileged to study chamber music with members from Cuarteto Rios Reyna, Juilliard Quartet, Emerson Quartet, Harlem Quartet, Shanghai Quartet, Amadeus Quartet, Enzo Quartet, Pacifica Quartet, St. Lawrence String Quartet, Cavani String Quartet, Harlem Quartet, Beaux Arts Trio, and the Takacs Quartet, among others. In the summer of 2008, he was invited to play a series of chamber concerts at the William Walton Estate “La Mortella” in Italy, where he had the honor of receiving a signed participation certificate signed by Lady Walton.
It is his life’s mission to honor his mentors by sharing their knowledge with the next generation.
Daniel Maldonado
Daniel Maldonado is currently the Band Director at South Creek Middle School in Orlando, FL. He has been there for 14 years. Currently he teaches beginning band, concert band, and jazz band. Daniel began his musical journey in Milwaukee, WI with piano lessons at the age of 6 years old. He picked up the saxophone in middle school and made his way to Florida in 1998, where he attended Lake Howell High School. Daniel received his Bachelor of Arts in Music at the University of Central Florida. While there, Daniel became a brother of the honorary service fraternity of Kappa Kappa Psi, studied saxophone under the instruction of Dr. George Weremchuk, and was an active member in both the Marching Knights and Jammin’ Knights.
Daniel Began teaching at South Creek Middle School in the Fall of 2011. After a few years of teaching, Daniel became a graduate student at Florida State University. He earned his Masters in Music Education in 2017. After graduating with his masters, Daniel became co-leader of the Central Florida Community Arts Big Band alongside Dr. John Almeida from 2019 to 2021. While still teaching middle school, Daniel is currently the baritone saxophone player for latin salsa group, Orchestra Fuego. Along with that, he is a freelance saxophone player in the Central Florida area. Daniel is genuinely excited for this opportunity of being the director OYCE’s Jazz 2 Ensemble to share his passion of music with the youth of Central Florida.
Alex Bodytko
Alex started playing music in 6th grade where she picked up the clarinet. In 8th grade, she learned to play alto saxophone to perform in the school's jazz band. Her love of music lead her to get her bachelor's degree in Jazz Studies (tenor saxophone performance) at the University of Central Florida. She performs at all of the area theme parks and became a statused Disney musician in 2014. In 2021, she founded Music Ninja Productions LLC, an entertainment company that puts together bands for special events. She is also the full time tenor saxophonist and vocalist for "The Bebop Bounty Big Band", a national touring 14 piece jazz band that performs a show called Cowboy Bebop Live! Her other freelance gigs includes playing in wedding/convention bands, special events, and she also plays solo/duo gigs at the area resorts and restaurants.
Santiago Parra-Romero
A Colombian American jazz musician, composer, and educator known for his expertise on saxophone, clarinet, and flute. He teaches at the Avalon School of Music and leads Josephine Swing, the alumni big band for OYCE. Santiago is proud to be a two-time recipient of the Central Florida Jazz Society Scholarship. Additionally, he has performed at the Dr. Phillips Center, the Casselberry Arts Center, the Blue Bamboo, and the Wayne Densch Performing Arts Center, and has collaborated with notable ensembles such as the Orlando Jazz Orchestra.
Jesus Lopez
Jesus Lopez began his woodwind studies in 2006 on the Clarinet and Saxophone and soon after Oboe, Flute, and Bassoon. Jesus participated in numerous Solo and Ensemble festivals, All-County, and All-State ensembles in his younger scholastic years. He also participated in the Music for All concert festival in 2011, the Tri-State Festival in 2013, and The International Clarinet Association “ClarinetFest” appearing with the “Licorice Sticks Clarinet Orchestra”. Jesus has extensive experience playing in musical productions, appearing in shows including Les Miserable, Guys and Dolls, Miss Saigon, and Chicago - which he premiered with on the China Tour. Jesus studied Clarinet Performance at Valencia College and now studies at Rollins College, becoming very proficient in multiple genres of music. Lopez has studied under Erik Cole, Vanessa Vache, and Tom Dietz for woodwind studies and conducting with Dr.John Sinclair. He now regularly performs in various ensembles, ranging from orchestras to contemporary flamenco. Jesus also actively works with a multitude of youth, middle, and high school music programs in the Central Florida area, whether it be working with the ensembles or adjudicating.
Chris King
Chris King is a professional trumpet player in Central Florida. He is a musician for Epcot with Disney's Candlelight Processional, and Guardians of the Galaxy: Awesome Mix Live!; and Universal Studios with the Studio Brass Band, and has played with artists such as Hank Williams Jr, Alan Parsons Project, Béla Fleck, Rocktopia (Trans-Siberian Orchestra), and Little River Band on stage and national/international television performances on ABC, NBC, ESPN, PBS, TBN, CW, Telemundo & Univision. Chris' students have been accepted for state and national honor bands and competitions such as Florida All-State Bands/Orchestras, The Macy's Great
American Marching Band, The US Army All-American Marching Band, the National Association of Music Educators (NAfME) Orchestra, The National Trumpet Competition, and so on. In the past, Chris has done composing and arranging for groups ranging from soloists to full orchestras with choir; having some of his writing featured on the Today Show. He is formerly the principal trumpet of the Imperial Symphony Orchestra in Lakeland, FL. He has recorded with numerous popular musical acts for jazz, reggae, and death metal albums. Chris is also the owner and head repair technician for CK Brassworks, a musical instrument repair business located in Winter Garden, FL. Chris attended Rollins College for his B.A in music.